Serendipity and the fallen seraphim | By : Gemma Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 1372 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
Serendipity and the fallen seraphim
I remember the very first time I saw him. I was 6 years old and had spent a lazy summer day, where the heat seeps like honeysuckle scented moisturiser into the skin, soothing away all troubles and aches, and inspiring languid movements and sleepy senses, playing on the vast summer estate of my family.
Later in the afternoon when a welcome breeze was stirring the silken hair of my head and snaking through the spacious, airy manor, I sat nestled on my nanny's, lap listening to the dulcet croon of her beautifully English voice, which so effectively painted extravagant images in my young imagination.
A heavy tome sat balanced on my lap, my legs dangling over hers, her dainty hands supporting my own, careful as always that no damage came to me or my belongings.
The casing of this particular book was thick, heavy leather the colour of bitter chocolate and it creaked when it opened, it's dusty gold pages filled with wonderful italics and magnificent illustrations. I giggled when Susanna opened it for the first time, and I did not need to turn to see the gentle smile which lit her smooth face.
'Paradise Lost' was printed across the front in large golden italics, and Susanna took my small child-chubby fingers, running them along the indents, tracing each letter. I giggled breathlessly, little feet kicking, bare toes wiggling happily.
Susanna laughed softly into my hair causing a small cascade to tumble across my forehead. She pushed it back with a practised hand.
"John Milton." Her voice was like a familiar caress, and like some secret signal I instantly settled my body against her, little hands still gripping the heavy tome eagerly.
"Of Man's first disobedience and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world and all our woe. . . . ."
And so she began. I didn't understand a single word of which she uttered, but the passion and understanding she herself conveyed was an entrancing lullaby. Occasionally she would pause in the reading and we would turn our attention to the detailed illustrations.
All were intricate and beautiful, full of fire, passion and zeal. The garden of evil was a sumptuous paradise, and I ran tiny fingertips over the flowers, trees, bouncing my nimble body in joy at the animals, speaking their names aloud and turning curious eyes to the writing beside each illustrated page.
There was onat cat caught my eye, and I remember placing my whole hand onto the image, catching glimpses through the splay of my fingers. There was an angel, his body that of a naked man, muscles hard and lean. He sat on a large rock, his shoulders held back, incredible blue eyes blazing upwards as if in defiance of his lowly seating.
His body was like that of chiselled ivory, and his wings rested gracefully against his back like the wings of a giant dove, though perfect, beautiful feathers littered the ground, their edges charred and singed.
I ran my fingers over the page, my eyes drawn to his ethereal beauty. The blazing of his eyes and the long platinum length of his hair enchanted my childish mind. He was the embodiment of all that was beautiful and right.
My eyes travelled down to the golden italics at the bottom.
"Loo-see-fur." I whispered, one finger resting on his face. Susanna chuckled her breath warm on my cheek.
"Lucifer yes. The seraphim who defied God and was banished from heaven."
I turned round eyes to hers.
"Defied God?" My voice was more than a little amazed; in fact it was drenched with childish awe.
"Yes, sweetness, he defied God. Lucifer was His favourite you see, and he grew arrogant, believing that he was as good as God."
"No one's as good as God." I replied in complete conviction.
Susanna hummed lightly in amusement. "No. And so God cast out his most beloved seraphim."
I wiggled my bare legs, glancing aimlessly at the yellow hem of my skirt. "What's a seraphim?"
Susanna placed a finger over mine on the page. "An angel. And that's what he is."
I turned large eyes back to the captivating image, taking in the vast wings, straight white hair and hypnotising eyes.
"Angel." I said with reverence, body still as I gazed on with fascination, the breeze stirring my long hair as it snuck under the gauze that covered the window that mottled the weakening rays of the summer sun.
Voices sounded up the wide curving staircase, and I smiled gleefully as a woman's laugh drifted towards me. Tightening my grip on Susanna's hand, I craned my neck forward, trying to see beyond the gilded railings. I felt Susanna's free hand smoothing down the cream silk of my dress, toying with the ribbon that held the weight of my baby blond hair away from my face, though a few tendrils escaped to tickle my nose.
I giggled breathlessly, tugging on Susanna's hand and hurrying down the stairs in a rush of silk, lace and childish exuberance. Running to the door, I peaked around the frame, my eyes greedily taking in the scene before me.
Men and women mingled in my family's giant ballroom, the men wearing the most classic and elegant wizarding robes, whilst the women wore incredible gowns of silk, lace, satin, velvet, muslin and taffeta.
The myriad of colours was almost hypnotising, and I watch fascinated as the colours swirled together as the crowd mingled and danced, their hands gesturing expressively, heads thrown back in laughter and eyes bright.
The ballroom was vast with an impossibly high ceiling and walls the colour of fresh cream, whilst the curtains of muslin draped across the large windows, twisted into an elegant swirl held in place by large pale ribbons.
The whole room had been enchanted so that drops of water hung from the ceiling and patterned the wall and floor like thousands of crystals. The enchantment was so that one could brush against the droplets and they would shatter into even smaller drops, clinging to people like crushed diamonds. Many wore them on the edges and hems of their gowns, and a few had them nestled in their hair.
I saw all this through wide excited eyes, and when Susanna led me gently into this adult paradise, I felt the stir of butterflies in my stomach and dropped my head slightly as a wave of shyness swept through me.
But then these tall beautiful people turned their glowing eyes to mine, a few dropping down, their robes billowing and whistling, so that they could pat my face and tell me how 'darling' I was, and coo over how 'big I had grown'.
Susanna led me gently and expertly through the crowd, pausing often to greet those that stopped her, nodding her head and sending her waves of dark hair tumbling around her shoulders. Finally we reached our destination and she pushed me forwards slightly, one hand between my small shoulder blades.
Noticing the tall man in front of me, his familiar dusky blonde hair and beard drawing my gaze, I ran forwards with a little cry. "Daddy!" My voice was high and happy, my arms reaching up to be lifted even before I reached him.
Swooping down, his robes billowing around him like the wings of a raven, my father held me aloft, spinning us both around before balancing me expertly on his hip. His green eyes locked onto my laughing blues, and I felt exhilarated, my cheeks flushed with heat and my mouth a wide smile. Then my father turned to the group of men gathered around him displaying me as if I was some wonderful invention he had created; an object that demonstrated wealth and power. I was merely happy to be in his embrace.
"Do you like the party, sweetness?" His voice was like melted chocolate; smooth, enchanting, hypnotising.
"Yes Daddy, very much. Look, isn't it pretty?" I held out a hand, proudly showing him the magical water drops that I had scooped up, and which were now making my hand glisten as if covered in diamond dust.
My father laughed, those incredible green eyes turning towards his audience before gracing my face once more. His long tanned fingers wrapped gently around my wrist, and his lips curved up into a captivating smile as he brought my tiny hand up to his mouth, before kissing along my palm; short, butterfly kisses which made me giggle and kick my feet in pleasure.
When he pulled away from my hand his mouth and beard were covered in the crystal droplets and I clapped my hands in abject delight, the men around me smiling.
Noticing truly for the first time my audience, I turned a bright smile at those around me, feeling so proud to be daddy's beautiful precious girl. My bright, almost feverish, eyes played over the faces of the men around me, noticing very little about them, their adult faces seeming so similar to me. But as my eyes fell on one man I stopped smiling, pausing to lean forwards and peer at his face.
I recognised the blazing blue eyes, the long platinum hair which seemed like some magical shining variation of white to my mind, and the arrogant face with that defiant spark in the eyes. I turned wide eyes to his shoulders looking for the wings, but there were none. I frowned, though a small smile tugged at my pink cupid-bow mouth.
My father noticing my fixed stare rubbed an idle hand on the small of my back.
"What is it, poppet? Do you know that man there?" His eyes held mine before raising to the man in front of us both, an indulgent smile on his lips. I nodded shyly, though I did not look away from the platinum-haired enchantment whose blue eyes held mine.
My father rubbed my back once more.
"What's his name? Can you remember?" I turned glowing eyes to my father's before turning them back to the man's arrogant, alabaster pale face.
"That's Lucifer, daddy." I said in a clear and confident voice.
"He's in my picture book."
There was a brief pause in which Lucifer cocked his head, reminding me of Sylvester, the large feral cat I had adopted and secretly fed scraps from the kitchen. Then the men broke into hearty laughter, my father's laugh the loudest of all.
"Lucius, my dearest. His name is Lucius. But you were close."
The men laughed again, and although a frown creased my forehead once more, a small smile still tugged at my lips.
I stretched out a hand, trying to touch the man's silky length of hair.
"Lucifer." I spoke once more with utter conviction, and the man reached out long, elegant and pale fingers and wrapped them carefully around my hand, before lifting it to his lips and kissing it formally as he might to a real lady.
I did not giggle, though the brush of his lips was a tickling caress, I merely stared into his blazing blue eyes, awed that this angel, this seraphim, who had defied god had stepped from the page of my book only to stand before me at this magical party, on this magical eve.
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